Sunday, June 9, 2013

Major Crimes - LA Times Show Tracker: Mary McDonnell & James Duff Interview

Source: The Los Angeles Times Show Tracker [follow link for complete interview]

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES SHOW TRACKER: 'Major Crimes': Mary McDonnell says Raydor 'deepens' in Season 2

The two-time Oscar-nominated actress and show creator James Duff talk about the police captain's progress as the TNT drama returns.

By T. L. Stanley
June 9, 2013

Capt. Sharon Raydor, one of the highest-ranking women in a fictional TV version of the Los Angeles Police Department, is the ultimate "Lean In" type of gal.

Played by two-time Oscar nominee Mary McDonnell on TNT's hit drama "Major Crimes," this top cop spends her days putting away bad guys, following the letter of the law and corralling her rogue detectives. And she's not trying, even for a moment, to be anyone's best friend.

"She's concerned with doing what's right, not with what people think about her," McDonnell said recently during a break in filming this season's expanded order of 19 episodes. "It's more of a male energy..."

(Tony Denison and Mary McDonnell from Major Crimes)

... James Duff, creator of "Major Crimes" and its predecessor, "The Closer," said he wants viewers to respect and relate to Raydor, the politically savvy chief of detectives.

But like her? It wasn't his goal, even as he took her from guest player on "The Closer" to the center of the "Major Crimes" ensemble. And that helps illustrate how far TV, especially cable, has come in its portrayals of women, he said.

"You wouldn't have seen this character 20 years ago," Duff said. "Instead, it was Joan Collins and Linda Evans having a catfight on 'Dynasty.' Now we can do something more substantive. And Mary wants a morally complex role..."

Major Crimes season two premieres Monday, June 10, 2013 at 9/8C on TNT. CLICK HERE TO VIEW A VIDEO FEATURETTE ON MAJOR CRIMES.